08/03/2026
OPINION| Not a Compliment, Not a Joke: Misogyny has no Seat in Congress
March is Women’s Month—a time to honor the achievements, strength, and invaluable contributions of women in shaping our nation. It is a month that calls for reflection, accountability, and renewed commitment to equality. That is why the statement made by Quezon City Rep. B**g Suntay during a congressional hearing was not only disappointing—it was alarming.
In a hearing concerning the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte, Suntay recounted seeing Anne Curtis and said: “NAKITA KO SI ANNE CURTIS… MAY DESIRE SA LOOB KO NA NAG-INIT TALAGA.” The remark, delivered in a formal legislative proceeding, immediately drew criticism. San Juan Rep. Bel Zamora moved to strike the statement from the record. Yet Suntay defended himself, claiming that his words carried no sexual connotation and were not immoral.
But intent does not erase impact.
A congressional hearing is not a comedy bar, nor is it a private conversation among friends. It is a formal space where public servants are expected to demonstrate professionalism, restraint, and respect. Even if framed as a “joke” or a “compliment,” the remark reduced a woman—who was not even part of the proceedings—into an object of personal desire. That is not admiration. That is objectification.
Since when did the Philippines evolve backwards to the point where misogynistic, disrespectful, and lustful remarks about women are normalized and justified—especially by those in power? Have we forgotten the decades of struggle fought by Filipino women for dignity, representation, and equal treatment? Have we become so desensitized that we excuse words that perpetuate a culture of trivializing women’s bodies and experiences?
The Philippines enacted the Safe Spaces Act, commonly known as the Bawal Bastos Law, precisely to address this culture. The law recognizes that harassment does not begin with physical acts—it begins with words. It acknowledges that catcalling, sexual jokes, and unwanted comments about a woman’s body or desirability are not harmless. They reinforce a system where women are constantly evaluated through a lens of male desire. If such remarks are punishable in public streets, workplaces, and online spaces, how can they be defensible inside the halls of Congress?
Leadership demands more than authority; it demands example. Public officials carry the responsibility of shaping discourse. When a lawmaker casually expresses “desire” in a way that reduces a woman to a source of arousal, it sends a dangerous message—that power excuses impropriety, that humor shields misogyny, and that accountability is optional.
Anne Curtis, as a woman and a public figure, deserves respect—not because she is famous, but because she is human. Women should be recognized for their intelligence, talent, labor, and contributions to society—not reduced to the subject of someone’s heated impulse.
Objectification, whether directed at a celebrity or an ordinary citizen, is still objectification.
Women’s Month should not be reduced to hashtags, floral tributes, or ceremonial speeches. It must be a mirror. And what it reflects today is uncomfortable: progress in policy means nothing if regression persists in mindset.
We cannot afford to normalize regression.
If we claim to be a society moving forward, then our leaders must speak as if equality is non-negotiable. They must understand that words carry weight—especially when uttered from positions of authority. Respect is not optional. It is not seasonal. It is not dependent on intent. It is a standard.
And standards must be higher in the halls of power than anywhere else.
If Women’s Month means anything at all, it must mean this: no woman’s dignity is a punchline, no woman’s body is a metaphor, and no leader is above accountability.
Article by Jared Felicidario
